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5 'Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. MASON.

MAGAZINE PIRE ARM.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 15, 1887 (No Model.) 5 sheens-`sheet 2;

W. MASON. MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

No. 873,298. Y Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

, umllniluxl" 5 sheets-sheet 3.

" (No Model.)

W. MASON. 'MAGAZINE PIRE ARM.

Patented Nov. 15188'7.

N. PETERS4 Photo-Lihngmp'mr. wnhlngion, D. C.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

' (No Model.)

W. MASON. v- MAGAZINE FIRE ARM.

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5 `Sheets-Slieet 5.

(No Model.)

-W. MASON. MAGAZINBPIRE ARM.

Patente'dNov'. 15,1887,

WILLIAM MASON, OF NEV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WIN- CHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MAGAZINE FIREARIV.

SPECIFICATION forming part or' Letters Patent No. 373.298, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed December 7, 1585. Serial No. 184.897. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MASON, of N ew Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented anew Improvement in Magazine Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying iive sheets of drawings and the lett-ers of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of ro the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a side view of the arm, a portion of the receiver broken away to show a side view ofthe operative mechanism of the arm;

i5 Fig. 2, a top view of so inuch of the'arm as necessary to illustrate my invention; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the grip, cutting on line u u of Fig'. l; Figs. 4 and 5, horizontal sections through the breech-piece, showing a top view ofthe iiring-pin, the extractor, and the latching device which holds the firing-pin in its retracted position; Fig. 6, a longitudinal central section through the receiver, showing a side view of the carrier and partial central section and side view of the breech-piece, with the connection between the slide on the grip and the breech-piece; Fig. 7, a partial longitudinal section showing a top view of the connection between the breech-piece and slide on the grip; Fig. S, a vertical-section through the receiver close up to the rear end of the barrel, looking rearward, and showing a forward view of the exposed parts of the operative mechanism; Fig. 9, a 'sectional side view showing the operative parts as in the position of the iirst part of the opening movement; Fig. l0, a vertical transverse section on lineov, Fig. l; Fig. ll, a vertical transverse section cutting on line y y of Fig. 9; Fig. 12, a sectional side view 4o showing the operative parts in the opening position and just as the breech-piece engages the carrier; Fig. 13, the same, showing the extreme opening movement, the carrier raised; Fig. 14, a transverse section through the receiver, showing tlfe forward end of the carrier and the stop which arrests the upward movement of the carrier; Fig. 15, a vertical longitudinal section through the trigger guard, showing'the set-trigger mechanism, with cor- 5o responding parts of the hammer and scar, the

trigger unset; Fig. 16, the same, the trigger set; Fig. 17, a sectionalv view showing the parts in the closing position and just as the hammer engages the sear'in its full-cocked position; Fig. 18, the same, showing the breech-piece as having continued its movementup'to the point where the tiring-pin escapes vfrom -its engagement with the hammer; Fig. 19, a vertical section showing the inclined shoulder on the breech-piece as engaged with the correspond- 6o ing inclined shoulder'on the carrier, to illustrate the grasping movement -of the carrier under the action of the hammer; Fig. 20, a longitudinal section looking down upon the carrier.

This'invention relates to an improvement in that class of nre-arms in which the breechp-iece is hung in the receiver below the .barrel and adapted to'swing backward and downward inopening the breech for the yintroduc- 7o tion of the cartridge to the barrel or its removal therefrom, and is an improvement upon the arm described in another application, Serial No. 168,738, parts of the invention, how. ever, being applicable to magazine or breechloading arms ofother construction; and the invention consists in the construction land combination of parts, as more fullyhereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the frame or receiver, to the 8o forward end of which the barrel B is fixed, and beneath the barrel the usual magazine-tube, C.

The receiver is constructed with the usual tang, D, upon its upper side and tang E upon its lower side, extending rearward, respectively, onto the upper and lower sides of the grip portion F of the stock.

G is t-he breech-piece, hung upon a pivot, a, in the lower part of the receiver, and is extended or continued below the receiver to form 9o the trigger-guard H, and so that the breechpiece may be turned backward and downward in opening, as from the position seen in Figs.

l and 6 to that seen in Fig. 13. At the pivot a the breech-piece is constructed with a slot, b, to form the bearing upon the pivot, and so that a certain extentof radial movement is imparted to the breech-piece combined with its rotative movement. Thebaek of thebreechpiece is segment-shaped, as most clearly seen roo in Figs. l2 and 13, and on this segmental por- 'tion a shoulder, d, is formed, which, when the breech-piece is in its closed position, rests against the corresponding shoulder, e, in the receiver, the shoulders against indicated in broken lines, Fig. l, one at each side of the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 2. These shoulders form the resistance to support the breechpiece in its closed position against the recoil of the charge.

When the breech-piece is inl its closed position with the shoulders engaged, as seen in broken lines, Fig. l, the lower end of the slot b in the breech-piece stands substantially up against the pivot, as seen in FiO. 6, the slot then extending diagonally upward and rearward, as also seen in Fig. 6.

I haveillustrated a peculiar construction for operating the breech-piece and whereby the backward and downward movement in opening and the upward and forward movement are produced, and which I will describe later. For the present the breech-piece may be understood as operated by a trigger-guard lever of substantially the usual construction andas indicated in broken lines, Fig. 1.

In the first movement preparatory to opening the breech-piece the leveris turned downward, as indicated in Fig. 9, the slots permitting such movement without material retreating or opening movement of the breech-piece until the upper end of the slot comes to a bearing upon the pivot ci, as indicated in Fig. 9. This first preliminary movement of the lever takes the shoulders d dow-n below and away from the shoulders e in the receiver, and so as to release the breech-piece from its supporting engagement. Then, on continuing the opening movementof thebreech-piece,it will turn upon the pivot and come to its extreme open position, as seen in Fig. 13.

In the rear portion of the breech-piece a vertical recess is 1n ade,in which the hammer I isset, the hammer hung upon the same pivot, a, as the breech-piece, and so thatin the opening movement ofthe breech-piece the hammer will turn upon the same pivot as the breechpiece.

The nose of the hammer is adapted to abut against the forward end of the recess in the breeehpieee and bear toward the forward face of the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 6. In the recess in the breech-piece below the hammer a mainspring, L, is arranged, and which is of substantially the usual form, adapted to bear the nose of the hammer with force toward its striking-point on the breech-piece. One end of the spring is hung upon the pivot a. (See Figfl7.) The other takes a bearing upon the hammer in rear of the pivot.

M is the scar, hung in the receiver in rear of the breech-piece upon a pivot, f, and extends downward therefrom, and under the action of 'the Sear-spring g, so that as the hammer is thrown rearward it will bear against the sear, and when the hammer rests in the full-cocked position a shoulder on the Sear will engage a corresponding shoulder, 7L, on the hammer, as seen in Fig. 17, and hold the hammer at fullcock.

In the forward part of the breech-piece the firing-pin N is arranged, adapted to be struck upon its rear end by the hammer and communicate the blow ofthe hammer to the cartridge in the barrel in the usual manner.

From the hammer a hook-like projection, z', extends forward below the firing-pin, and in the tiring-pin is a notch, Z, corresponding to the shoulder of the hook t' on the hammer. (See Fig. 6.) y

The nose of the hook forward of the shoulder is inclined downward and forward, as seen in Fig. 6, and on the breech-piece above a correspondinginelined surface, m., is made,which, when the breech-piece is in its closed position, as seen in Fig. 6, stands over the inclined surface of the projection on the hammer.

In the first movement of the breech-piece, as seen in Fig. 9, to bring the slot b to a bearing upon the stud c, the face of the breechpiece rests against the rear end of the barrel, as before described and as seen in Fig. 9, and so that the bearing between the breech-piece and rear end of the barrel becomes a fulerum, as it were, upon which the breech-piece turns in this first part of its opening movement; hence that portion of the breech-piece in rear of the barrel descends as from the position in Fig. 6 to that seen in Fig. 9. In this movement the inclinem on the breech-piece strikes the incline on the projection t' from the hammer, and at the same time brings the notch in the firing-pin into engagement with the hook on the hammer. The incline m on the breechpiece, bearing on the inclined projection of the hammer, gives to the hammer a rear movement in advance of the breeelrpiece, which advance rear movement is communicated to the tiring-pin and retraets the firing-pin, as seen in Fig. 9. This retraction therefore praetically occurs before the breech-piece commences its rear movement. The engagement with the firing-pin continues throughout the opening movement of the breech-piece and corresponding retreat of the hammer, so that the firing-pin is positively held from advance movement while the breech-piece is open.

The full opening movement of the breechpiece takes the hammer with it to a point far beyond the position where the hammer is to be engaged with the sear, as seen in Fig. 13; but in the closing movement of the breechpiece, when it has arrived at the point where the hammer may engage the scar, as seen in Fig. 17, the sear will arrest the further forward movement of the hammer, and so soon as the hammer is thus engaged and held by the scar the continued forward or closing movement of the breech-piece takes the ineline m on the breech-piece from its bearing upon the hammer; but the engagement between the firing-pin and the hammer is still in force. To release the flringpinfrom such engagement with the hammer,a movement of ICO the breech-piece independent of the ring- 4 pin is permitted, because of an elongated recess, n, in the firing-pin, through which a pin, o, in the breech-piece extends transversely, which pin preventsthe escape of the firingpin and limits its longitudinal movement to the extent of the said recess. 'When the hammer is first engaged with the sear, as seen in Fig. 17, this recess in the firing-pin extends beyond the pin o,- hence the breech-piece may advance independent of the firing-pin, leaving it (the firingpin) engaged with the hammer. In such advance of the breechpiece, and turning upon its pivot, the tiring-pin rises from its engagement with the hammer, as seen in Fig. 18, and so that the tiring-pin will in consequence of such rise escape from its engagement with the hammer, and then, leaving the hammer, will advance with the breech-piece to the closed position. The escape of the firing-pin from the hammer would leave it free for advance movement independent of the hammer, and so that possibly it might come into contact with the primer of thelcartridge in the barrel. To prevent such possibility, I arrange a latch, P, in the breechpiece,adapted to engage a corresponding notch, r, in the firing-pin before the nose ofthe ringpincan advance to the front face of the breechpiece. Such engagement of the latch is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5. The latch extends to the rear of the firing-pin, and on its inner side is inclined outward, as at s. This incline, when thelatch is engaged with the r firing-pin, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 5,

stands in the pat-h of the nose of the hammer, and so that when the breechpiece stands in its closed position the latch will hold the firingpin in its retracted position; but upon thead- Vance of the hammer it (the hammer) will strike the incline s on the latch, turn it outward, as seen in Fig. 5, to disengage the firingpin, and so that as the hammer then strikes the rear endof the firing-pin it will force it forward independent of the latch, as seen in Fig. 4, to impart the blow of the hammer to the cartridge. y

To impart the opening and closing movement to the breech-piece, I arrange a slide, 1^, on the grip, preferably in the form of a sleeve surrounding the grip, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and I construct this slide with finger projeclions S S, between which the fingers may rest, as in gripping the stock, and so that the slide maybe readily moved back and forth upon the grip portion of the stockwithout removing the hand' from the natural position of the grip, as from the position seen in Fig. 6 to that indicated in Fig. 13.

In a suitable guideway, T, in the receiver a slide, U, is arranged, (see Fig. 6,) which slide is in connection with the sleeve R, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to partake ofthe forward and back movement of the sleeve. The sleeve R itself, in order to prevent its rubbing upon the stock, is constructed with an inward rib,t,at the top and bottom, (see Fig. 3,) and the upper in Fig, 13, the longitudinal movement of the sleeve will turn thebreech-piece upon its pivot to the opening position, and the return of the sleeve will-return the breech-piece to its closedl position.

The person holding the arm in the usual position at the shoulder, with his hand upon the grip, naturally embraces the sleeve R, and without lowering the arm from the shoulder or changing its position he may, with his hand still grasping the sleeve R, give to it its longitudinal movement to open and close the breech,

and such movement may be made so quick that the most rapid firing can be attained.

The carrier is composed of two parts, 2 and 3. The part 2 lies in the lower part of the receiver and forms one side of the carrier,- and is hung upon a pivot, 4, fixed at its rear end. At its forward end itis hung to the part 3 by a pivot, 5. Below the part 2 is a link, 6, hung at its rear end to a fixed pivot, 7, below the pivot 4 of the part 2. At its forward end it is hung to the part 3 by a pivot, 8, below the pivot 5 of the part 2, the distance between the pivots 4. and 5 of the part 2 and the pivots 7 and S of the link 6 being equal. The part 2 is constructed with a shoulder, 9, in rear of its fixed pivot 4, and which shoulder 9 stands in the path of acorrcsponding shout. der, 10, on the-breech-piece, and -so that in the opening movement of the breech-piece whenthe said shoulder 10 reaches the shoulder 9 on the carrier, as seen .in Fig. 12, the further opening movement of the breech-piece will cause the part 2 to rise, turning upon its fixed pivot 4, to the position seen in Fig. 13, and because the part 2- is hung to the part 3 the part 3 will' necessarily rise accordingly, and because of the connection of the link 6, hung upon its ixed pivot at one end and in connection with the part 3 below the pivot 5 of the part 2, the part 3 will be retained in its same relative position to theline of the barrel and magazine-that is to say, the part 2 and the link 6 maintain a constant parallelism of the part 3 throughout its movement.

The part 3 forms the bottom and other side of the carrier, as seen in Fig.- 6, and when the breech-piece is fully closed stands in line with the magazinc, and so that the rear cartridge, 11, in the magazine may pass from the magazine into the carrier, the head of the cartridge being against the rear end, w, ofa recess in the breeclrpiccc, as seen in Fig. 6, before the cartridge shall have passed entirely from the magazine; but as the opening movement of the breech-piece is continued the cartridge l1 will follow the breech-piece until it has passed IOC entirely from the magazine and rests upon the carrier, as seen in Fig. 12. As the cartridge thus passes onto the carrier, a cam, 12, on the breech-piece forward of the pivot strikes the under side of the part 3 of the carrier and raises it slightly, so that the forward end of the part 3 of the carrier comes up in rear of the head ofthe next cartridge, 13, in the magazine and serves as a stop to hold the column of cartridges in the magazine. The cartridge bein gthus placed upon the carrienthe shoulder 10 on the breech-piece strikes the shoulder 9 on the carrier and raises it to the position seen in Fig. 13,'in line with the barrel, and because of the parallel action produced by the p art 2 and the link 6 upon the part 3 of the carrier the cartridge is presented in an axial line with the barrel, as seen i-n Fig. 13, and in front of the breech-piece, and so that as the breechpiece is returned it will strike the cartridge 1l and force it forward into the barrel, as seen in Fig. 17, and until the breech'picce is fully closed.

To hold the cartridge upon the .cari-ier, so that it may not be displaced in i-ts transfer from the magazine to the barrel, the part 3 is constructed with an upward projection, 14, on its outside, said projection turned inward to overhang that side of the cartridge, as seen in Figs. 8 and 14, and the part 2 has a like upward projection, 15, (sce Fig. 8,) to embrace' the cartridge upon that side; hence, as the carrier rises, it holds the cartridge between the overhanging projections`14 and 15 and prevents it being thrown from the carrier. To make this embracing ot' the cartridge by the upward projections 14 and 15 firm and strong in the ascent of the carrier and relieve the cartridge when the breech-piece advances to transfer the cartridge from the carrier to the barrel, the part 2 of the carrier is hungloose upon its pivot, so as to permit a considerable degree of rocking movement-that is, that the upward extension 15 may swing outward and inward, as indicated in broken lignes, Fig. 8.

. To impart an inward grasping movement to the part 2, the shoulder 9, upon which the breech-piece strikes, is inclined outward and downward, as seen in Fig. 19, and the shoulder 10 on the breechpiece is correspondingly inclined, and so that before the shoulder on the breech-piece strikes the shoulder 9 the part 2 ofthe carrier is loose and free; but'when the shoulder 10 on the breech-piece comes to a bearing on the inclined shoulder 9 on the part 2 it acts as a cam and turns the part 2 inward, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 19, and in broken lines, Fig. 8, and so as to embrace the cartridge between the two projections 14 and 15 of the carrier, from which grasp of the carrier the cartridge is released has entered the barrel and has come under the influence of the barrel and breech-piece independent of the carrier. When such condition of the cartridge has been reached, the under side of the breech-piece strikes the projection 14 on the part 3 (see Fig. 17) and imparts a downward movement to the carrier to take it out ofthe way ofthe closing breech-piece, and, finally, as the breech piece approaches its closed position a second shoulder, 16, strikes .the under side of the rear end of the part 2 of the carrier, as seen in Fig. 6, and returns the carrier to its extreme down position, as seen in that figure.

The shoulder 16 on the breech-piece and the corresponding bearing on the carrier are in such relation to each other that when the breech-piece is in its closed position, as seen in Fig. 1, the bearing ofthe breech-piece upon the carrier is above the pivot on which the carrier is hung, instead of below the pivot, as in the application, Serial No. 168,738, before referred to. the bearing-points between the breech-piece andrcarrier it will be observed that when the parts are in their closedposition, as seen in Fig. 1, should pressure be applied to bear upon the under side ofthe carrier through an opening in the receiver, it would be resisted by the shoulder 16 on the breech-piece and such movement of the carrier prevented, because the breech-piece cannot be moved until .its downward movement is first made, and the action of the carrier upon the breech-piece is in the opposite direction to such opening movement of the breech-piece, whereas-if the bearing between the breech-piece and the carrier be below the pivot of the carrier then From this peculiar'l location of 9o such upward movement of the carrier would tend -to open the breech-piece, and thereby render the arm liable to such accidental opening of the breech -piece, which by the construction -I have shown is prevented.

In rapid firing the upward movement of the carrieris very quick. To prevent the momentum of thecarrierfrom causingitto rise too high, and so as possibly to interfere with the proper transfer of the cartridge, I provide a stop, 17, in the receiver above the carrier, (see Figs. 12, 13, and 14,) against 'which the forward end of the part 3 of the carrier will strike when. the carrier has reached its extreme up position, as Seen in Figs. 13 and 14.

To charge the magazine, an opening is made in the right-hand side of the receiver, as in rio dicated in heavy broken lines, Fig. 6, and as tin Serial No. 168,738.

be imparted to the principal trigger sufficient to carry it against the sear and force the sear vfrom its engagement with the hammer.

The auxiliary-trigger spring 37 is very light, .only sufficient to turn that trigger downward to bring its finger into locking position, and hence is removed therefrom under the lightest possible pressure, so that the trigger becomes of the most sensitive character.

The extent of engagement between the auxiliary trigger and its shoulder 39 may be varied by the set-screw 42, such adjustment making the set more or less sensitive, as may be desired. This trigger is applicable to arms of other constructions, it only being essential that its arrangement shall `be such that the trigger under its momentum may disengage the sear from the hammer.

As before stated, this invention is an improvement upon the arm described in applica- I therefore make no claim to any of the parts shown in said application other than .in the combination hereinafter specified.

The peculiar construction of carrier which I have described-that is to say, the parallel mechanism whereby the bottom ofthe carrier p maintains the same relative plane throughout the movement ofthe carrier-may be employed to advantage in many ofthe known constructions of tire-arms in which the carrier is arranged to swingup and down upon a pivot at the rear.

` The auxiliary latch combined with the tiringpin, the said latch arranged to swing laterally toward and from the firing-pin and constructed with a shoulder adapted to engage a corresponding notch'in the firing-pin, with an extension from the latch rearward into the path of the hammer when the firing-pin is in its retracted position, may be employed in connection with other' arms in which a retracting device is employed for the tiring-pin.

I claiml. In a magazine fire arm, the combination ofa breech-piece hung in the receiver inrear of the barrel upon an axis at right angles to the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, the said breech-piece constructed with a slot inclined upward and backward from its pivot when the breech-piecey is in its closed position, a carrier hung upon a pivot in the receiver and adapted to swing up and down, accordingly as the breech-piece is opened or closed, the breech-piece constructed with a shoulder, 16, adapted to rest against a corresponding bearing on the carrier in rear of and above the pivotof the'carrier when the breech-piece is in its closed position, substantially as described.

2. In a tire-arm, the combination of the barrel open at its rear end, a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of said barrel upon an axis at right angles to the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, constructed with an extension therefrom below its pivot, a slide arranged upon the grip in rear of the receiver and adapted to be moved -back and forth thereon, with a connection bevopen and close the barrel, a carrier arranged below the breech-piece, the said carrier composed of two parts, 2 3, the said part 2 hung in the receiver at its rear end and constructed for engagement with the breech-piece in the opening movement of the said breech-piece, the said second part, 3, hung to the said first part, combined with a link, 6, hung atits rear end upon a pivot in the receiver below the pivot of the part 2 and at its forward end hung to the said part 3 uponv a pivot below the pivot between the said two parts 2 and 3, the said four pivots corresponding, substantially as described, and whereby in the up and down movement of the carrier the said part 3 is maintained in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the barrel.

4. In a magazine re-arm substantially such as described, the combination therewith of a carrier composed of two parts, 2 3, the said `part 2 hung in the receiver upon a pivot at its rear end, and so as to swing in a vertical plane, and constructed with a projection adapted to engage with the breech-piece inits opening movement, whereby the said carrier will be raised, the saidpart 3 hung to the said part 2 upon a pivot at its forward end, and so as to move up and down with the said part2, but free upon its ownpivot, a link hung at its rear end upon a fixed pivot below the fixed pivot of the part 2, and its rear end hung to the part 3 upon a pivot below the pivot between the said part 2 and the'part 3, and whereby in the up and down movement of the carrier the said part 3 will maintain substantially its same relative plane throughout its movement, the said part 3 constructed to form the bottom of the carrier, and the said parts 2 and 3 each constructed with an upward extension at the forward end at their outer side, the said extensions adapted to embrace the cartridge, substantially `as described.

5. In a magazine tire-arm in which thebreechpiece is hung upon a pivot in the receiver below the magazine, and so as to swing back-A ward and downward in opening, acarrier hung upon a pivot at the rear and extending for'- ward toward the magazine, and adapted in its down position to receive a cartridge from the magazine, a lever, 20, hung upon the same pivot as the breech-piece, one arm extending rearward and in slotted connection with the breech-piece in rear of the pivot of the breechpiece, the other arm extending forward and in one side of the carrier, substantially `as described, the said forward arm in the opening movement of the breech-piece adapted to turn pivot.

cess inthe breech-piece, asindicatcdin broken lines in Fig. 20. v

To insure the rear movement ofthe cartridge from the magazine, that it may follow the breech-piece and be properly located on the carrier before the carrier commences to rise, I provide a lever, 20, which is hung upon the same pivot as and so as to swing in a plane parallel with the breech-piece and at one side of the carrier, as seen in Fig. 20, and so as to work through a slot in the carrier, as seen in Fig. 20. @ne arm ofthe lever extends rearward and is hung to the breech-piece by a slotted connection, as indicated at 21, Fig. 6, and so that while the lever is free to swing upon its pivot independent of the breech-piece it will be turned thereon by the breeclrpiece, the slot permitting the play of the carrier upon its own The other arm of the lever extends forward and normally lies below the path of the cartridge as it comes from themagazine onto the carrier, as seen in' Figs. 1 and 6. As the breech-piece is turned in its opening movement, the forward arm of the lever turns upward and rearward at one side of the cartridge, but in front of the cartridge-flange, and so that, starting, say, as in Fig. 6, in the opening movement of the breech-piece the lever 2() will turn rearward, and, striking the flange of the cartridge, will force it rearward independent of the magazine-spring, and so as to insure its proper presentation upon the carrier before the return of t-he breeclrpiece shall commence.

The extractorhook 22 is hung upon one side of the breech-piece-say the left-hand sideupon a pivot, 23, so as to swing thereon in a vertical plane. In rear of the extractor is a spring-follower, 24.-, which bears against a shoulder, 25, on the carrier in rear ot' its pivot, the tendency of which follower is to hold the carrier in a position central with the line of the barrel, as seen in Fig. 1, the hooked nose of the extractor adapted to engage the iiange of the cartridge.

In the side of the breech-piece is a recess, 26, (see Fig. 12,) in which the extractor lies, and so that the extractor may turn therein upon its own pivot. rlhe upper edge of the recess 26 serves as a bearing, against which the spring-follower yieldingly holds the extractor, as seen in Figs. 1 and 12.

On the reverse side of the breech-piece is a projecting cheek, 27, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) and between which and the extractor-hook the cartridge-head is grasped in the usual manner.

To permit the extractor to pass over the Bange of the cartridge as the breech-piece is closed, the pivot 23 on the extractor makes a hook-like connection, 28, in the breech-piece and inside the bearing of the spring-follower,

and so that the extractor may turn transversely outward, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 4L, turning on the connection 28, the spring-follower yielding for such movement of the extractor to pass the lange of the cartridge, and when it has passed over the flange the springfollower will return it to place, as indicated in Fig. 4.

After the cartridge has been introduced, the

breech-piece closed, and its shoulder d brought to place against the abutment e in the receiver, the arm is ready for discharge, the hammer being caught by the scar M, as seen in Fig. 17.

A trigger, 30, is hung in the trigger-guard upon a pivot, 31. The trigger extending upward therefrom terminatesin a nose, 32,whic h, when in the closed position, stands forward of the lower end of the scar M, as seen in Fig. 15, and so that if the trigger be then pulled the nose 32, striking the sear, will throw it from engagement with the notch h of the hammer and permit the hammer to fly forward. 'Ihe hammer is provided with ahalfcock notch, 33, with which it may be engaged with the scar, and so as to hold at half-cock. To prevent the possibility of the halt'- cock notch catching the sear after the trigger is pulled, I apply the usual fly, 34, (see Fig. 18,) a device too well known to require particular description.

For accurate tiring a set-trigger is desirable. To this end I hang an auxiliary trigger, 35, upon a pivot, 36, in the principal trigger 30, and below the pivot of the auxiliary trigger I provide a light spring, 37, the tendency of which is to throw the finger portion of the auxiliary trigger forward. From the auxiliary trigger a finger, 38, extends rearward, and so as to pass over a shoulder, 39, in the triggerguard, as seen in Fig. 15, when free so to do. The principal-trigger spring 40 bears upon the principal trigger upon a dat surface below its pivot, as seen in Fig. 15, the tendcncy of the spring being to hold the principal trigger in its proper relative position for ordinary use and to return itto that position after it shall have been pulled, but yet allow a forced forward movement to be given to the principal trigger, and to impart such forced forward movement the principal trigger is constructed with an arm, 41, extending forward of the pivotwithin the guard. As represented in Fig. 15, the arrangement of the trigger is for use as an ordinary or simple trigger.

To set thevtrigger for light work, theprincipal trigger is turned forward by applying the linger to the arm 41 and pressing it downward, as seen in Fig. 16. Such forward movement of the principal trigger 30 takes with it the auxiliary trigger until the inger 38 escapes from the shoulder 39 on the trigger-guard. Then the auxiliary trigger is turned forward by its spring -37 to bring the end of the nger 38 down forward of the shoulder 39, as seen in Fig. 16. In this condition the auxiliary trigger holds the principal trigger in its forward position, resisted by the principal-trigger spring 40. If, now, the auxiliary trigger oe pulled to force the finger 38 above the shoulder 39, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 16, the principal trigger will be free for return under the action of its own spring 40, and under such act-ion of its spring a momentum will IOO l'IO

rearward against the forward side of the flange of the cartridge and force it to its rear position on the carrier.

6. In a fire-arm, the combination of the barrel open at its rear end, a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of said barrel upon an axis at right angles to the barrel, and so as to swing downward and backward in opening, provided with a downward extension'therefrom to form the trigger guard, the said breech-piece constructed with a slot inclined upward and backward from its pivot, and also with a shoulder'in rear of its pivot, and the receiver constructed with a corresponding shoulder, against which said shoulder on the breech-piece will abut when the breech-piece is in its closed position to resist recoil, a hammer hung upon the same pivot as the breechpiece, and so as to turn backward with the breech-piece, a scar hung in the receiver in rear of the breech-piece and adapted to engage a corresponding notch on the hammer to hold it in the cocked position, and a trigger hung in the said trigger-guard, adapted to operate upon the said scar when the breech-piece is in the closed position, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a breech-loadingrearm, of a breech-piece hung in the receiver in rear of the barrel and upon an axis at right -angles to the barrel, so as to swing downward and backward in opening, the said breechpiece constructed with a slot inclined upward and backward from its pivot when the breechpiece is in its closed condition, the breechpiece also constructed with a shoulder upon its rear side, and the receiver constructed with a corresponding shoulder7 against which the said shoulder on the breech-piece will abut when the breech-piece is in the closed position to resist recoil, a hammer hung upon the same pivot as the breech-piece and adapted to turn with the breech-piece in its opening movement, a iiring-pin arranged in said breechpiece, constructed with a notch upon its under side, and the hammer constructed with a corresponding hook, the nose of which is inclined forward and downward, and the breech-piece constructed with a corresponding incline adapted to impinge upon said incline on the nose of the hammer-hook in the first opening movement ofthe breech-pieee, substantially as described, and whereby in such rst part ot the opening movement ofthe breech-piece said hook on the hammer engages and retracts the"-` pin constructed with a notch and the latch with a corresponding shulder, the said shoulder on the latch adapted to engage the tiring-pin in its retracted position, the latch extending tothe rear of the tiring-pin, such extension standing in the path of the hammer when the latch is engaged with thetiringpin, substantially as and for the purpose described.

` 9. In a fire-arm, the combination oftheham mer, a scar hung in the receiver adapted to engage the said hammer in its closed position, a principal trigger, 30, hung in the trigger-guard below and extending upward, its upper end adapted to engage the said sear as the trigger is pulled, and constructed with an arm, 41, extending forward from the pivot, a triggerspring, 40, arranged to bear upon the trigger at the pivot,and so as to hold it inits normal or inactive position,l an auxiliary-trigger, 35, hung in said principal trigger above its pivot, extending downward, and constructed with a ringer, 38, projecting rearward from the pivot, the tri gger-guard constructed with a shoulder, 39, corresponding to and adapted to engage said finger 38, the said auxiliary trigger provided with a spring, 37, substantially as and for the purpose described.

WILLIAM MASON.

Vitnesses:

DANIEL H. VEADER, LEE H. DAurnLs. 

